1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to apparatus for singling filled wafer sheets which are consecutively advanced in one line or in a plurality of juxtaposed lines, wherein consecutive wafer slides adjoin and possibly adhere at their trailing and leading faces, respectively.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When it is desired to single consecutively advanced wafer slices which adjoin at their trailing and leading faces, respectively, so as to cause the wafer slices or transverse rows of such wafer slices to be spaced apart in the direction in which said wafer slices are advanced, it is known to separate consecutive wafer slices abutting at their trailing and leading edges, respectievly, in that said wafer slices are advanced by consecutive conveyor belts moving at different velocities and to provide between the conveyor belts a stop, which is lowered when the foremost wafer slice of the or each line is to be advanced from the slower conveyor belt onto the faster one so that said wafer slice or wafer slices are spaced apart from the next succeeding wafer slice in the or each line and, if the wafer slices are advanced in a plurality of juxtaposed lines, a new row of water slices is thus formed.
But that mode of separation will be effective only if the abutting wafer slices do not very strongly adhere to each other. If the filled wafer slices adhere rather strongly to each other, it will no longer be ensured that consecutive wafer slices will be separated in due time and in that case individual wafer slices will possibly be damaged by the stop as it returns to its initial position and the wafer slices advanced in a plurality of lines may not be properly aligned in the rows which have been formed.